Kohala Lighthouse Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let me level with you – looking at the forecast for the Kohala Lighthouse area (Big Island) over the next 16 days, and I gotta say, it’s a tough one. The data is pretty clear: we’ve got a long stretch of poor conditions ahead. The first real recommendation for a surf doesn’t pop up until the 25th of July, and even then, it’s a marginal call. That’s a solid week-plus of nothing good to start, so don’t get your hopes up for the near future.

The main issue is that persistent cross-shore wind – mostly a fresh breeze howling out of the East and East-Northeast, which is just murdering any chance of clean waves. The water temp is sitting around 80°F, which is about normal for the time of year, nothing to write home about.

Now, Saturday the 25th of July afternoon is the one time things get a tiny bit interesting. The swell combo jumps to a massive 1979 combined energy, with a 5ft groundswell from the East. The period is a very long 17 seconds. That’s proper energy, but it’s a long-period swell, which can be tricky on a reef setup. The problem is the wind is still a fresh cross-shore (ENE), so it’s going to be lumpy. The file calls it “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions,” so it’s not a full green light. Still, if you’re an advanced surfer and you’re desperate, that’s the only window that might offer a few cleanish lines, but with the cross-chop, it’s going to be a battle.

The rest of the run is just bad news. By the 27th of July, we’re looking at a proper swell event – 12ft to 13ft from the East-Northeast with a combined energy over 7000 – but it’s all cross-onshore, choppy, and messy. That’s not a surfer’s wave; that’s a kiteboarder’s dream. The break is too exposed and the wind is just wrong for a paddle. For the experts, the 28th of July morning still has a big 10ft swell from the NE, but again, cross-onshore and choppy.

So, the truth is, there’s no standout session here. The only real option is a gamble on the 25th afternoon, but it’s a long shot with the wind. If you’re a beginner, stay out of the water until the 29th when things drop back to 4ft and the wind lightens up, but even then it’s cross-onshore. It’s a rough outlook for the next couple of weeks.

Rusty.

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